Howard University and NYU Nursing Schools Partner to Further Nursing Research and Education

Howard University and NYU Nursing Schools Partner to Further Nursing Research and Education

by | Mar 11, 2021 | News, Nursing Diversity | 0 comments

Gina S. Brown, dean for the College of Nursing and Allied Health Sciences at Howard University (left) and Eileen Sullivan-Marx, dean of NYU Meyers (right)

Howard University’s College of Nursing and Allied Health Sciences and New York University’s Rory Meyers College of Nursing have formed an educational and research partnership to work together to have a greater impact on improving health and health equity in urban areas and global communities.

“We are ecstatic to be in partnership with such a prestigious educational institution as NYU Meyers at such a critical time within our nation’s health care cataclysm,” said Gina S. Brown, PhD, MSA, RN, FAAN, dean for the College of Nursing and Allied Health Sciences at Howard University. “The potential collaborations are endless.”

The new partnership will enable nursing researchers at Howard and NYU to collaborate on existing research projects and jointly apply for grant funding for new projects. The schools are in the process of applying for funding to develop a mentoring and education program to encourage African-American nurses to obtain specialty nursing certifications. In addition, faculty will be invited to attend research seminars and professional development opportunities at both schools.

“We are thrilled to build new ties to Howard University, one of the country’s top HBCUs, and to work closely with its expert nursing faculty,” said Eileen Sullivan-Marx, PhD, RN, FAAN, dean and Erline Perkins McGriff professor at NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing. “By formally establishing this partnership, we can develop unique opportunities for cross-school collaborations that address health inequities and increase our impact on improving care for the patients and communities we serve.”

In addition to fostering faculty and research collaborations, nursing students at Howard and NYU Meyers will have the opportunity to attend new and established programming through educational exchanges. For instance, Howard nursing students will be encouraged to participate in NYU Meyers’ 10-week summer research program, designed to engage undergraduate and graduate students from underrepresented backgrounds in mentored research. The NIH-funded program aims to develop the next generation of cardiovascular disease researchers, and NYU and Howard hope that participation will encourage more nursing students of color to pursue research doctorates in nursing or related fields.

The Howard-NYU partnership was catalyzed by Brown and NYU Meyers’ Audrey Lyndon, PhD, FAAN, RNC, professor and assistant dean for clinical research. While on faculty at the University of California, San Francisco, Lyndon worked closely with Brown on educational exchanges; they look forward to building upon this collaboration to change the future of nursing.

About NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing (@NYUNursing)
NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing is a global leader in nursing and health. Founded in 1932, the College offers B.S., M.S., DNP and Ph.D. degree programs providing the educational foundation to prepare the next generation of nursing leaders and researchers. NYU Meyers has several programs that are highly ranked by U.S. News & World Report and is among the top 10 nursing schools receiving NIH funding, thanks to its research mission and commitment to innovative approaches to health care worldwide.

About the Howard University College of Nursing and Allied Health Sciences
The College of Nursing and Allied Health Sciences is comprised of top-ranked educational programs that prepare health care professionals to be leaders and innovators in practice, education, research and service. Graduates are prepared to deliver patient-centered, interprofessional care and utilize cutting-edge technology and evidence-based practice to improve the health of all people with an emphasis on promoting health equity toward eliminating health disparities. Currently, the college offers degrees in the following accredited programs: bachelor’s degrees in clinical laboratory science, health management sciences, nursing, nutritional sciences and radiation therapy; master’s degrees in nursing, occupational therapy and physician assistant; a post-master’s certificate in nursing; a doctoral degree in physical therapy; and a master’s and doctoral degree in nutritional science in conjunction with the Howard University Graduate School. To learn more, visit cnahs.howard.edu/

Jacquelyn Taylor Joins NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing as the Inaugural Vernice D. Ferguson Professor in Health Equity

Jacquelyn Taylor Joins NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing as the Inaugural Vernice D. Ferguson Professor in Health Equity

by | Jan 29, 2018 | Blog, Faculty Nurses, Minority and Community Health | 0 comments

This month, New York University (NYU) Rory Meyers College of Nursing welcomed Jacquelyn Taylor, PhD, PNP-BC, RN, FAHA, FAAN, as the inaugural Vernice D. Ferguson Professor in Health Equity.

Taylor has already had a notable career. In January 2017, she was awarded the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers by President Barack Obama, the highest honor awarded by the federal government to scientists and engineers, where she will examine next-generation sequencing-environment interactions on cardiovascular outcomes among African Americans.

Vernice D. Ferguson (1928-2012) was a distinguished nurse leader, educator, and executive who championed the health of all people throughout her career. Ferguson, who received a baccalaureate in nursing from NYU, pioneered leadership positions for nurses and elevated the nursing profession through advocating for increased opportunities, respect, and wages, as well as fostering nursing research.

Taylor says it’s a tremendous honor to be selected to serve as the inaugural Vernice D. Ferguson Professor in Health Equity. “It is my sincere hope that the research I lead is as beneficial to the public as the work of the iconic Vernice D. Ferguson.”

Over the course of Taylor’s career her work has focused on health equity in Black populations for common and chronic diseases such as hypertension, both in the United States and in Africa.

“African Americans have the highest incidence and prevalence of hypertension than any other ethnic group in the U.S.,” says Taylor. “In particular, African American women have the highest incidence and prevalence of hypertension than any ethnicity or gender. Understanding the genomic underpinnings and social factors that contribute to this disparity can help providers to intervene early in life to eliminate such disparities. On a personal level, my father had hypertension and had a stroke, and my mother had cardiovascular complications as well. I would like for the work that I do to help others to avoid these complications.”

Another primary goal for Taylor is to study the genomics of lead poising in Flint, Michigan. She says the purpose of this project is to better understand the harmful effects of chronic lead exposure, the psychosocial insults of the Flint water crisis, and the underlying omic mechanisms involved that may contribute to increases in blood pressure in this already at-risk African American population in Flint.

“An intergenerational, multi-omic (genetic and epigenetic), and psychosocial approach will be utilized to understand one of the major symptoms of chronic lead exposure—high blood pressure—among African American families in Flint,” Taylor explains. “This research will provide critical insights that will add a layer of functional outcomes for health providers to best understand, assess, and intervene with tailored treatments based on an individual’s unique environmental, omic, and psychosocial profile and will help in mitigating long-term cardiovascular and other health risks.”

Taylor says her primary goal during her professorship is to continue to build on the work she has done in omic-environment interaction studies among minority populations by utilizing multiple advanced genomic techniques and expanding to more minority populations across the USA and abroad.

“I would also like to expand my reach as a leader in nursing science by taking on a more key administrative role that will aid in building up the next cadre of minority nurse scientists.”

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